Transcript Surviving Domestic Violence Seeking Support in Cyber-Space:

Surviving
Domestic Violence
Seeking Support in
Cyber-Space:
Implications for EGovernment
Lynn Westbrook, School of Information
The University of Texas at Austin
Paper given at the Information Resources Management Conference, May 2007
Research Problem
DV is pervasive
DV is costly
DV requires tiered help
DV survivors use BB
DV survivor needs
unclear
DV survivor tools
unclear
Research Method
Established BB for survivors
Random sample, 1 year
Emergent coding
HyperResearch
Information needs
Information resources
Saturation; code-recode
93%
Information needs
Finances
Law
Mental health
Domestic violence
Logistics
Finances
A by-product of abuse; as
unavoidable as a black eye
He left all of our bills with me,
including a loan that's in my
name and his dad's name. The
last thing he said before he left
was that he'd kill me if I ruined
his dad's credit.
Law
Make the system work
and deal with its failures
Remember when you go to
report an incident sometimes
the bruises don't show up for a
day, especially ones from being
choked or restrained by the
arms...go back the next day
and have the cops take pictures
Mental health
Survivors, children,
and even abusers’
needs
He said he'd go to anger
management and
counseling. Where can I
seek help for that?
Domestic violence
Seeking confirmation and
understanding
He makes me feel … no matter what I
say or do it is never right. After looking
at some of these websites I've realized
that maybe this could be a form of abuse
but when I talk to him about it he feels
that it is not and that since he does not
leave any physical bruises on my body
that it is not abuse.
Logistics
Communication,
relocation, &
employment to survive
secretly pack documents,
clothes, money etc so that
when you leave you won't be
empty handed if you have to
go in a hurry
Information resources
All require energy,
planning, and
persistence
None are sufficient
Include the self,
Internet, services, and
individuals
The Self
Information seeking;
practical and
empowering
Use the Internet and
books
Look for emotional
support, facts, and
resources
Formal help
Counseling
DV shelters &
services
Police
Informal help
Trustworthy people
Activities to distract,
e.g., volunteering
Activities to heal, e.g.,
exercising
Objects, e.g., gun or
dog
Possible implications
E-government considerations
• Identify misconceptions
• Coordinate local, regional,
and national resources for
those who move and to avoid
duplication of effort
• Active prevention & aid in
cyber-space
Other analyses
◊ Police department web sites in the
172 cities of the largest 100 US
metroplexes
◊ All US state government web sites
◊ In-depth interviews with survivors,
police, and shelter staff in 10 diverse
Texas cities
Questions? Comments?
Laura Cook
Andrew Creed
Arvind Ashta
Lynn Westbrook